Svitolina Loses First Match As Mother Despite Great Showing

| by Alfredo Bassanelli

Elina Svitolina played her first match since becoming a mother and she will surely remember the performance not the result.

The Ukrainian played her last competitive match last year in March before taking a brief break from the world of tennis and the WTA Tour. In October last year, Svitolina welcomed her first child and only six months later, she's back on the tennis courts and competing at the 2023 Charleston Open.

The WTA 500 event in Charleston is a special one for Svitolina as it helps her country with various exhibition events. In her first competitive match in more than a year, the former world no. 3 took on Yulia Putintseva from Kazakhstan.

The two met 8 times in the past and while Putintseva won in their first two meetings at lower-ranked events, Svitolina triumphed in the following six matches on the WTA Tour. Last win came at the 2021 Australian Open and the Ukrainian wanted to follow up on that in Charleston.

17-Year-Old Prodigy Fruhvirtova Stuns Teichmann In Charleston
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Svitolina started great. Both players traded breaks a couple of times in the first set and eventually, it had to be decided in a tie-break. At moments, showing no signs of being away for more than a year, Svitolina played well to win the tie-break 7-3 and take the first set.

The second set was a real battle with the majority of the games going through a deuce. Putintseva was a better player in the crucial moments and thanks to that, she forced a decider after winning the second set 6-2.

Once again, both players had their chances in a nail-biting third set. And although many fans would love to see Svitolina win in her first match as a mother, the Ukrainian lost after two hours and 48 minutes 7-6(3), 2-6, 4-6.

2023 Charleston Open WTA Prize Money & Points Overview - $780,637
2023 Charleston Open WTA Prize Money & Points Overview - $780,637

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